Leaks, Spills Of Chemicals `Coincidental,` Officials Say

Chemical leaks and spills that have plagued Broward County the last four months are coincidental and do not point to an epidemic problem, environmental officials said.

Muriatic acid, ammonia, chlorine, carbonic acid, phenol, Vikane -- all common products in everyday use in South Florida -- have escaped or threatened the public several times this year. At least 10 such incidents have occurred since April, injuring 16 people and causing the evacuation of 5,000 in one chlorine tank scare in Hollywood.

``I think we`ve had more incidents than we`ve had in a long time,`` said Bill Metzger, chief of enforcement for the Broward Environmental Quality Control Board.

For example, there were two incidents at local pool supply companies, where workers overfilled a chlorine or muriatic acid tank or filled a tank with the wrong chemical. Mixing chemicals may be explosive, and often results in the release of a toxic cloud of gas.

``We`ve been years and it`s never happened before. Then we`ve had two in a matter of weeks,`` Metzger said. ``It`s just one of the things that are happening.``

Metzger said he thought the chemical accidents were coincidental.

``Assessing all the spills, I really don`t look at this as any laxity. I just don`t look for this as a continuing problem. Maybe I`m wrong, but I just don`t think too much could have been done about any of them.``

``I think a few have just sprung up here. It`s just something that has happened,`` he said.

``We`ve had a few right behind each other, and you start thinking, `Hey, is this a trend?` It`s just a coincidence that these did happen in a string the past couple of months.``

Recent incidents include:

(BU) April 29, the pesticide Vikane was released during a fumigation of the Seagate Apartment Motel on Jefferson Street, Hollywood. Three people were hospitalized after inhaling the fumes.

(BU) May 3, two people were hospitalized and 200 people evacuated when 150 gallons of chlorine and 50 gallons of muriatic acid leaked freely for 20 minutes at the Sun n` Fun pool supply store on North State Road 7, Lauderdale Lakes.

(BU) May 20, more than 400 people were forced to leave their homes after a muriatic acid spill at the Playtime Pools Inc. supply store south of Deerfield Beach caused a toxic acid vapor cloud.

(BU) May 23, a bulging, overfilled chlorine tank at a city lift station, supplied by Jones Chemicals Co., threatened to explode, forcing the evacuation of 5,000 people in Hollywood. The pressure was released without mishap.

(BU) June 5, a chlorine company worker accidentally pumped muriatic acid into a chlorine tank, releasing a toxic cloud in Pompano Beach. Jones Chemicals Co. was making a delivery to a pool supply store.

(BU) June 28, about 30 Miramar residents were evacuated after about 200 gallons of muriatic acid were released from a storage tank. Witnesses said teen-agers had opened a valve on a storage tank.

(BU) July 24, 10 people were hospitalized in Hollywood after an Allied Universal Corp. driver delivering chlorine pumped it into a tank of muriatic acid at Guardian Pools, 650 N. State Road 7.

(BU) July 28, a boy looking for lost change under a tanker truck parked at a North Lauderdale shopping plaza is burned by carbonic acid, a component of phenol, leaking from the truck. Also, 200 people were evacuated and an officer was overcome by fumes.

(BU) Aug. 2, businesses in the Coral Springs industrial park area were closed because of a leak of muriatic acid from a storage tank at Poogie Pools pool service.

Most of these instances, officials point out, were caused by human error. Efforts have been made to reduce such mistakes.